Robert J. McPherson was the son of William McPherson of Beverly who was a Deputy Fire Chief for the Beverly Fire Department. Robert and two of his brothers, William, and Donald dedicated their lives to serving others, in the Beverly Fire Department. Robert started on the department as a teenager when it was mostly a volunteer department. Robert J. McPherson died fighting a woods fire on Saturday, March 26th 1983. He left behind his wife Nina, daughters, Mary and Anne. Mary later became a dispatcher for the Beverly Fire Department, then married Lt. William Petrosino, who recently retired as a deputy chief after 38 yrs on the same department. Robert McPHerson’s granddaughter, Maria Petrosino, daughter of Mary McPherson Petrosino is now a dispatcher for the Beverly Fire Department. Robert always wanted to die with his boots on and he did.